Delaware Art Museum

Wilmington, Delaware

This 100,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art museum comprises a new concrete and steel structure joined to an existing 1938 concrete and masonry building. The original, partially-restored Flemish bond brick- work is juxtaposed against a new copper panel cladding system and curtain wall glazing to admit natural light into the gallery and administrative areas. The facility has two levels of galleries as well as a basement for art storage, libraries, works-on-paper, and support areas. The facility includes a 171-seat sloped auditorium, several art workshops, and administrative areas.

The significant value of the displayed artwork, both in the permanent collection and those frequently on loan to the Museum, mandated that the HVAC/temperature control system be designed with triple-redundancy sensors to assure proper levels of temperature and humidity at all times and includes certified reporting of data in accordance with guidelines from the American Museum Association.

The fire protection system utilizes extensive pre-action fire detection to minimize the likelihood of water damage to artwork in the event of a false alarm. Lighting systems throughout the facility are designed for flexibility to properly highlight the artwork.

Morris Museum

Morristown, New Jersey

In 2004, the Morris Museum acquired the world-renowned Murtogh D. Guinness Collection of mechanical musical instruments and automata. A major new wing houses a state-of-the-art, interactive exhibit of this priceless collection of more than 700 wonderfully preserved objects.

Constructed concurrently, the new main entrance wing serves much the same purpose as the glass pyramid entrance wing at the Louvre in Paris.

These two major additions are accompanied by an interior transformation of the Museum’s lobby and reception area, circulation among the various galleries and exhibits, the Museum Shop, and administrative offices.

Photo credit: Photos courtesy of RMJM

Ironbound Aquatic Center

Newark, New Jersey

The Ironbound Aquatic Center, is a world-class, fully-enclosed, aquatic facility owned and operated by the City of Newark. The building has three levels, totaling 37,430 square feet. The ground floor comprises several mechanical rooms that house HVAC and specialty pool equipment, including pumps, filters, and heaters. The second floor is the natatorium with two pools, showers, lockers, and administrative areas. The third level contains two multi-purpose rooms.

The auxiliary pool is a 480 square-foot wading pool for young children. The main pool, which is 75 feet by 45 feet with six swim lanes, meets stringent criteria to conform with guidelines published by NSFHSA, the governing authority for United States swimming and diving competitions. The pool has a movable floor to accommodate sporting events and competitions as well as use by the physically challenged and senior citizens. Accessories include one meter and three meter diving boards, water basketball, and water polo.